Why it works: Turmeric and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,698 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Curry-powder
Ingredients
Directions
Make the powder
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Pound the mixture until fine.
Sift the powdered mixture to remove any larger pieces.
Store
Store in an airtight container.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Turmeric + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,698 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Coriander + cumintop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,866 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Turmeric + cardamomtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together667 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Ginger + turmerictop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,776 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
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Coriander + cardamomtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together872 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Coriander seed
- Provides the bulk of the citrusy, warm flavour base of the blend.
- Turmeric
- Adds earthy flavour and the deep yellow colour characteristic of curry powder.
- Ginger
- Contributes warm, pungent aroma and a gentle spiciness.
- Mustard seed
- Adds a sharp, pungent note that deepens the blend's flavour when ground.
- Black pepper
- Adds sharp heat and pungency that lifts the other spices.
- Cardamom
- Contributes a fragrant, floral aroma to the blend.
The step that matters
Pound until fine. Spices release their aroma and flavour when their cell walls are broken into fine particles. Coarse pieces give uneven flavour and a gritty texture, which is why the sifting step matters.
Swap the mustard
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (ginger, pepper, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cumin):
- Carrotfits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Sweet potatofits better
- Mustardthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against ginger, pepper, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cumin. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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